Administration officials walk out of Senate mining safety hearing early

[Lefty48197]

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060124/a_minesafety24.art.htm

"Top Bush administration mine regulators made an early exit Monday from a U.S. Senate hearing on two West Virginia mining disasters that killed 14 people.

David Dye, the administration's top mine-safety official, left shortly after testifying and fielding questions but before critics of the administration's safety efforts testified. His exit drew a rebuke from the committee's Republican chairman, Arlen Specter, who threatened to subpoena Dye to force him to stay to the end of future hearings."

"Dye, the assistant secretary of Labor for mine safety and health, said that he had pressing business ..."

"Specter said he was “disappointed” that Dye left the Senate hearing because he wanted the mine-safety official to respond to later witnesses who were sharply critical of the Bush administration's mine-safety enforcement efforts"

"West Virginia lawmakers passed a bill Monday that would require mines to use electronic devices to track trapped miners and stockpile oxygen ..."

Union and former Clinton administration officials "...criticized the Bush administration for halting a proposed regulation that would have required mines to stock more breathing devices underground."

I guess that explains why the Bush officials didn't want to answer questions from critics.

The Labor Dept. says that "...the administration has not required mines to provide communication devices and additional air supplies for miners because of concerns about the reliability of the equipment.

Yeah right. Reliability of the equipment. I'm sure it has nothing to do with your party's never ending mantras "regulations are bad for business" and "Government is too big, we must cut back". What we were left with is an industry that isn't being inspected frequently enough, and existing regulations are either going unenforced, or they have been repealed by the coal industry officials that donate money to Republican campaigns.

[peacebird]

1. i'm guessing the miners don't donate as much to the RNC as the mine owners

this is the era of the repuke "Pay to Play" government. you don't pay, you don't matter.